Predicting Relocation Intentions of Culturally Diverse Workforce Entrants¹

Abstract

The factors that determine intentions to relocate in the continental U.S. among Puerto Rican nursing professionals were explored. One hundred and eleven nursing students in their last semester of nursing school responded to a biographical questionnaire. Intentions to relocate were regressed on factor scores resulting from factoranalyzing questionnaire items. The results indicated that the individual's level of independence (e.g., lack of family attachment) was the best predictor of intentions to relocate. In addition, both lack of fear of discrimination and being at a middle life stage were positively related to intentions to take a job in the U.S. Implications for further study of the motivations driving culturally diverse laborforce entrants are discussed.